DEVON ORIENTEER No 176 January 2017. Rob & Jamie at OMM Finish. Courtesy Compass Sport CLUB OFFICIALS CLUB OFFICIALS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS President Sir John Cave Bt, DL Chairman Bryan Smith Secretary Rob Parkinson (Publicity & Website) Treasurer Matt Atkins Committee members Steve Perrelle (Fixtures) Alan Simpson (Equipment & Development) Nick Maxwell (Access & SWOA rep) Roger Green (Map Archivist) Tom Lillicrap (Mapping Sub-committee chair) Graham Dugdale (Membership) Tbc – Coaching co-ordinator Ruth Chesters (Club captain) Helen Taylor (Volunteering & Child Welfare) Meg Somers & Hugo Twigger (Junior reps) Andy Reynolds Newsletter editor – Susan Hateley Devon League – Tim Gent Clothing - Vivienne Maxwell Deadline for copy for the next Devon Orienteer will be 1st March 2017. CHAIRMAN’S CHAT Happy New Year to all Devon members, families and friends! Every New Year is significant, but particularly for those of us, including myself, who will tip over into a new age class from the 1st January. I am already looking forward to attending a range of ranking events throughout the year and very much hope to get to the JK in the south- east of England at Easter and also the Scottish 6 Day event in Deeside, Scotland, in late July. In essence, the British Orienteering Federation ranking scheme includes all events at Level A, B or C except for Relay and Score events. Provided you are a member of BOF, and at least in the top classes of M/W 16 or older, your results at these events will count. (There is an additional requirement that there must be at least 10 ranked runners taking part on any particular course.) Committee members are keen to increase the proportion of Devon events which are at least Level C, because we consider it is motivating for many club members (and also tends to bring in more competitors from neighbouring clubs) with relatively little in the way of additional organisation for the event. They also remain suitable for all ages and all abilities. Indeed, it looks like a good number of Devon members are already keen on attending ranking events. Devon is now 21st in the CompassSport Club Rankings for 2016, out of 85 clubs in total, up 12 places on the previous year, representing the club’s highest ever position. For those who like the stats, Devon has a higher adjusted average score than any other south-west club. That has to be worth a collective pat on the back! And with reference to CompassSport, in the near future Ruth Chesters, Club Captain, will be offering more encouragement to members to attend the first round of the CompassSport Cup on March 12th 2017. This will be hosted by Wimborne Orienteers, at the Moors Valley Country Park, on the western edge of the New Forest. Please get Page 2 the date in your diary. It is particularly significant for us, as Devon will be hosting the CSC final on 22nd October 2017. Nicholas Maxwell is organising that event and will no doubt be looking for helpers so please note that date also. But, not everything, of course, is about ranking points. The recent Christmas Score event held at Exeter University was hugely enjoyable, very sociable and offered something for everyone. Many thanks to all of the helpers and officials who made the event possible. So, whether you run for leisure, for competition, to keep fit or to get out and about with others, I very much hope you have an enjoyable orienteering year in 2017! Bryan Smith Chairman DEVON ORIENTEERING CLUB BUILDING A LONG TERM FUTURE FOR THE CLUB Amongst other tasks, the club committee has recently been considering how we build club membership and participation, so that the club is sustainable and has a long term future. Not that we have a particular problem at present, indeed there is a great deal to be positive about, but we need to look ahead. Everyone across the club can contribute to this task. Listed below are a few means by which this long term future can be made more secure, appropriate to the level of involvement people currently have with the sport or with the club. These are by no means new ideas –but we think they will help. For many of these tasks we have identified a lead member of the club to take the idea forward. If you have further ideas, please discuss them with any member of the committee and we will seek to follow them up. How do we get people to their first Devon event? 1. Permanent Orienteering Courses: Publicise the club and club events at permanent courses through A4 notices, up to date event information and “Orienteering –Give it a Try” cards 2. Put on a series of targeted events: Promote club events through social media campaigns, targeting specific events, geographic areas, age groups or a series of events and, for example, include red courses 3. Promote the club to specific groups: e.g. local FE Colleges, identified Charities, Running Clubs, Hashers and secondary schools, prior to events 4. “Orienteering –Give it a Try Cards”: Distribute these cards via sports centres, libraries, outdoor retailers and others. 5. Personal networks: Use personal networks to spread the word! How do we get people to return to Devon events? 1. Welcoming ethos: Make newcomers, of all ages, feel welcome and supported at events 2. Facebook and website: Promote recent and forthcoming events through Facebook, the Devon web-site and splits print-outs 3. Fliers: Produce fliers for all events, available on the web and in hard copy at the previous event, with wider distribution for bigger events (e.g. at other club events) 4. Focal point: Provide a focal point at events where people congregate after their run e.g. results board, soft drinks, cakes or biscuits, or using a local suitable venue or club tent. 5. “Orienteering: Give it a Try”: Provide cards at events, with details of forthcoming events on the back How do we ensure people who attend events become members? 1. Follow-up: Follow up non-members with a welcome email or letter encouraging them to join the club 2. Encouragement: Have a conversation with people at events who you don’t know and encourage them to join. 3. Standard notice at events: Provide a hard copy note at events: If you have enjoyed this event….including reference to the need to join the club after 3 events for insurance purposes. How do we ensure people who are members, remain as members in the longer term? 1. Quality events: Continue to provide a wide range of high quality, good value, events 2. Follow-up: Follow up those who have not re-joined with a friendly reminder. 3. Coaching and Training: Provide coaching and training to help people build their orienteering, organisational and planning skills 4. Volunteering: Ensure a wide range of people are encouraged to help at events, even in small ways, so they feel valued and engaged. Page 3 5. Communications: Provide regular and interesting communications e.g. Mailchimp, Club Newsletter and review what is most effective. Bryan Smith Chairman SUMMARY OF THE DEVON ORIENTEERING CLUB COMMITTEE MEETINGS ILSINGTON VILLAGE HALL ON 7TH DECEMBER 2016 At the committee meeting on 7th December, the following key items were discussed Permanent orienteering course update Nick Maxwell confirmed the positive status of Saltram and Plym Bridge. Bryan Smith noted that Haldon is being revised, linked to the remapping of the area. A meeting is taking place at Haldon on 8th December, which Bryan and Wilf Taylor will be attending. Bryan, Steve Perrelle and Erik Peckett are meeting with Bicton College staff on 9th December to follow up previous contact made by the college. Roles and Responsibilities were confirmed as follows: BS – Chair RP – Secretary/website/publicity MA – Treasurer Ruth Chesters - Club captain SP - Fixtures NM – Access and SWOA representative GD – Membership tbc – Coaching co-ordinator TL – Mapping group AS – Equipment, Development RG – Mapping HT – Volunteers/Child Welfare Meg Somers and Hugo Twigger – Junior reps SH – Newsletter; TG – Devon League; VM – Clothing Damian Wilson – Permanent Orienteering Courses Finance Matt Atkins tabled a detailed overview of the current financial position, and presented a revised budget for 2016-17. Following discussion, the following points were agreed: a. Compass Sport Cup - The club will subsidise entries at 100% for the CSC Qualifying round in March 2017, and will offer a free run to helpers in the final if we qualify. It was confirmed that the Final is joint with Kerno, and that surplus will be split on the basis of a formula that takes into account official key roles and helper numbers. It was noted that the club will not be entering the YBT in 2017. Nick Maxwell will check with the CSC Co-ordinator to confirm whether Devon, as host club, has a guaranteed place in the final, or not. b. Event entry fees 2017 will be £8 for adults (including independent runners) and £3 for juniors. It was noted that the BOF insurance limit is three ‘independent’ runs per year (Graham Dugdale to monitor) c. It was agreed to allocate £1500 to mapping, assuming that costs of mapping for the CSC final (Virtuous Lady) and the TT2018 (Braunton Burrows) would be largely met from income from those events. d. A discussion of event costs included consideration of alternative printing options. It was agreed that Roger Green should be consulted regarding this matter. e. With the above adjustments, the budget proposed by Matt for 2016 /17 was approved. Matt was thanked for collating a clear and detailed financial statement. Membership and Publicity a. Fees 2017 – see item 3(b) above.